Chapter 5

1Every high priest is chosen from among the people and appointed to represent them in matters involving God. His task is to present offerings and sacrifices for sins.

2He can deal gently with people who act in ignorance and wander from the right path, because he too is surrounded by weakness.

3Because of that weakness, he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as for the people’s sins.

4No one takes this honor for himself. He receives it only when called by God, as Aaron was.

5In the same way, the Messiah did not give himself the honor of becoming high priest. God gave it to him, saying, “You are my Son; today I have fathered you.”

6God also says in another place, “You are a priest forever, following the pattern of Melchizedek.”

7During his human life, the Messiah offered prayers and urgent pleas, with loud cries and tears, to the God who could save him from death. He was heard because of his reverent submission.

8Although he was God’s Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

9Once he had been brought to completion, he became the source of rescue that lasts forever for everyone who obeys him.

10God then designated him as high priest following the pattern of Melchizedek.

11We have much to say about this, but it is difficult to explain because you have become slow to understand what you hear.

12By now, you should be teachers. Instead, you need someone to teach you again some of the first basic truths in God’s messages. You have come to need milk, not solid food.

13Anyone who still lives on milk is inexperienced in the teaching about what is right, because that person is an infant.

14Solid food is for mature people. Through practice, they have trained their powers of judgment to tell good from evil.